Dunfey, William L., 1925-1991
Dates
- Existence: 1925 - 1991
Biography
Born October 10, 1925 in Lowell Massachusetts, William Dunfey was the 6th of 12 children. He enlisted in 1943 and served overseas as a Marine in the Pacific during the second World War. Upon returning from the war, Bill attended UNH and received his bachelor’s and master’s degree. After the war, Bill and his brothers bought a clam shack at Hampton Beach, and founded the Dunfey Hotels chain (which was later absorbed by Omni Hotels). Years later the brothers formed the Dunfey Group, a venture capital firm. A figure in NH politics, Dunfey gave considerable amounts of money to both Democrats and Republicans. He was influential in the campaigns of numerous Democrats, serving both Lyndon Johnson and John Kennedy. In addition, he was appointed to the UN by President Carter as an alternate representative for the 34th General Assembly. In addition to his political work, Dunfey supported numerous activists groups and social organizations, including the Center for Constructive Change, the Seacoast Anti-Pollution League, and the New England Circle. He was a trustee of both UNH and Dartmouth Medical School, and also created or helped support numerous publications in New Hampshire, including the monthly news magazine the Spectator, the international news service WorldPaper, and the New Hampshire Times weekly. He died February 9th, 1991, at the age of 65.
Found in 1 Collection or Record:
William Dunfey papers
William “Bud” L. Dunfey; (1925-1991) hotelier and political activist in NH. Dunfey served on the campaigns of politicians such as John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson, and was also appointed to the UN by President Carter. The collection includes both personal and professional papers, and includes correspondence, financial records, drafts of works by Dunfey, campaign information on both the national and state level, and information on the many organizations Dunfey supported.